The role of outer membrane proteins in the survival of Neisseria gonorrhoeae P9 within guinea-pig subcutaneous chambers.
Guinea-pig subcutaneous chambers were infected with a mixture of gonococcal variants of defined outer membrane protein profile. Survival within the chambers was a two-stage process. The initial advantage conferred by the lack of opacity-related outer membrane protein was transient and survivors were replaced by opaque colonial variants. Amongst these survivors were variants which produced opacity-related proteins (IId, IIe and IIf) not present in the initial inoculum. Thus, outer membrane protein composition is an important factor in survival in vivo.
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000382:microbiology*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins